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Why Shaquille O'Neal is 'taking' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Luka Doncic
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- Why Shaquille O'Neal is 'taking' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Luka Doncic
The NBA is filled with young talent.
But if you ask Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal, it doesn't get much better than OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander .
When asked during TNT's pregame show for a game between the OKC Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, O'Neal said he would take Gilgeous-Alexander over Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic .
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"Luka is a fabulous player," O'Neal said. "But this kid (Gilgeous-Alexander), listen, he plays the right way. He gets his teammates involved. ... I'm taking him right now. He's definitely emerged as one of my favorite players to watch."
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After earning an All-NBA first team selection last season, Gilgeous Alexander is playing elite basketball once again. The 25-year-old guard entered Tuesday averaging 31.3 points, 6.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game.
O'Neal isn't the only one giving Gilgeous-Alexander recognition for his meteoric rise. The sixth-year guard earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors for his play in December, and he ranks third the NBA's MVP ladder.
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"I like stories like this," O'Neal said. "Guys who come out of nowhere and then they're a force to be reckoned with. He's a helluva player."
Doncic, 24, ranks fourth on the MVP ladder.
The sixth-year guard also earned an All-NBA first team selection last season and is playing at a high level once again. Doncic is averaging 33.6 points, 9.1 assists and 8.1 rebounds.
But it isn't all about the individual numbers.
Gilgeous-Alexander has led OKC to a 27-12 record, and the team is second in the Western Conference standings. Dallas, on the other hand, is sixth in the standings with a 24-17 record.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Shaq is 'taking' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Luka Doncic in MVP race
